


Reassurances

by heyitscmei



Series: Soft Keith Week 2019 [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Kosmo makes a brief appearance and is an all-around good boy, M/M, Overthinking, Self-Doubt, Shiro (Voltron) is a Good Boyfriend, Soft Keith Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 10:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20673641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitscmei/pseuds/heyitscmei
Summary: Shiro is a sappy lover, Keith has found. The kind who has Keith’s name saved as ‘Sweetheart’ in his pad with a heart emoji next to it; who likes to text Keith that he misses him not 20 minutes after they part.The thought that the first thing Shiro wants to do after a long day is see him warms him in ways he’s never felt. It makes him happy. It’s why he feels so guilty for doubting ShiroIt’s why he’s so afraid of fucking it all up.--Some days are harder than others and Keith finds himself spiraling.Shiro always knows just how to keep him grounded.





	Reassurances

**Author's Note:**

> For Soft Keith Week Day 2: Pining/Vulnerability
> 
> A continuation of the verse Day 1 is set in, but can be read as stand alone.  
Super happy I managed to get this done!

Keith loves Shiro. This is something that Keith has known for years now, and it’s as much a part of him as his arms or legs. It’s as familiar as the weight of his blade in his hands or the Lion’s controls beneath his fingers.

He’d gotten used to the resignation, telling himself that it was enough. And it was. Keith is honestly content so long as he gets to keep Shiro in his life. But he’d gotten so used to hoping for nothing, expressing his own love without expectation, that he never prepared for a reality where Shiro loves him back, loves him the same way.

That’s new to him. All of it is.

Keith can look, can admire the sharp angles of Shiro's face, as handsome as the rest of him. He can touch, linger in Shiro’s space and hold and be held. He can do things he always thought were reserved for his dreams and Shiro will smile and reciprocate, returning his looks with fondness that carries into his touch.

It’s just. New.

He’s almost scared by how happy he is.

Keith knows what it’s like to lose. Knows what it’s like to have happiness stripped away in the blink of an eye. Knows that he can fight tooth and nail to hold on to it, but the universe is not always so compromising. He knows some battles he’ll never be able to win.

He can fight to keep Shiro alive. He can cross galaxies just to keep him safe. And he has.

But none of that will help him if Shiro realizes that he made a mistake picking Keith. If Shiro decides Keith isn’t who he thought. If he’s not good enough.

It feels stupid to dwell on it like this. He feels stupid. He found his mom and reconnected with her. Shiro has always believed in him and nothing about that has changed. They love him. Shiro loves him. He has a team--friends, maybe.

But the reminder does little to silence that quiet self doubt that lingers in the depths of his mind, not matter how irrational it may be. He can pick out a million little reasons why he feels like he’ll never be enough. Can recall more than a handful of times that told him he would never be enough, even if all the people’s faces have become blurs in his memory.

Being written off and left is a familiar ache in his chest and no matter how many years have passed, some days it still feels like it’s there. Like he’s still waiting for that other shoe to drop; Like he’s waiting until, inevitably, he’s alone again.

Everything about their romantic relationship is new, but this fear is not.

He isn’t sure whether he should be comforted or upset that he’s alone with these thoughts.

Kosmo whines and butts his head against Keith. Well, not truly alone, he supposes, giving Kosmo a half-hearted pat, but if Kosmo knows how to talk, he hasn’t let on that he can.

Shiro’s still tied up in his last meeting and Keith just wishes he were here. Yet he’s scared to seek his comfort, to share these thoughts. He doesn’t want these thoughts to put a damper on something that makes them both happy. He doesn’t want to be selfish. He doesn’t want to drive Shiro away.

He doesn’t want to be alone.

As if Shiro can sense his distress, he’s jarred from his thoughts by a ping on his datapad. Shiro is a sappy lover, Keith has found. The kind who has Keith’s name saved as ‘Sweetheart’ in his pad with a heart emoji next to it; who likes to text Keith that he misses him not 20 minutes after they part.

Kosmo perks up at the sound before promptly poofing away to who-knows-where. Keith wonders if he’s somehow figured the concept of privacy and is trying to give Keith and Shiro some alone time. He knew the wolf was intelligent, but Kosmo’s still always surprising him. He looks back down at the texts.

_ I just wrapped up my last meeting. _

_ Can’t wait to see you! ( ´ ▽ ` ) _

Keith manages a wobbly smile, blinking fast. The thought that the first thing Shiro wants to do after a long day is see him warms him in ways he’s never felt. It makes him happy. It’s why he feels so guilty for doubting Shiro.

It’s why he’s so afraid of fucking it all up.

He’s about to type out a reply, but before he can Kosmo returns with a very surprised Shiro in tow.

Keith watches, bemused, as Shiro shakes off his surprise to praise Kosmo for being such a smart boy.

He’s still smiling when he turns, but it promptly drops when he sees Keith.

“Keith? What’s wrong?”

Belatedly he realizes that he’d been on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by a messy mixture of happiness and guilt and fear, churning through him.

“Nothing,” he lies, averting his gaze and swiping at his eyes irritably. “I was just. Watching. Sad things.”

They both know that Keith can’t lie to save his life.

Shiro approaches and the bed dips.

“I don’t know what this is about,” Shiro says, reaching for Keith’s hand. “But I’m here for you.”

“For how long?” Keith murmurs, fear turning the tone bitter, almost accusatory. Shiro freezes, looking as surprised as Keith feels that the words came out all. Now he’s done it. He makes to pull his hand back.

Shiro doesn’t let Keith get that far, holding tight.

“Are you unhappy with—with this? Have I done something?” Shiro’s expression is rapidly approaching crestfallen and Keith scrambles to fix it. He’s ruining everything. He’s such an idiot. This is what he was afraid of.

“It’s not you, it’s me!” Keith blurts out before he realizes how that sounds. Shiro’s expression twists. “That’s not what I meant, I—”

Keith chokes. “I’m fucking this all up.”

Just like he knew he would. Everything is falling and scattering apart like dominoes and Keith is the one who gave the push.

“Why me?” He asks, miserably. It just doesn’t make sense. Shiro is incredible. Shiro could probably have anyone he wanted.

“Why?”

“Why would want to be with me when you can get so much better?”

And that’s it. It’s out. The other shoe is dangling and ready to drop.

“Wh- _ Keith. _ ” Shiro breathes. The hands that cup Keith’s face are a surprise, and when he meets Shiro’s gaze he see confusion, desperation, and concern. “There’s no one else I’d rather be with than you.”

“But—”

“There’s no one better.” Shiro insists.

“Shiro—”

“Sweetheart.” Keith freezes, if only because it’s the first time Shiro has ever said it out loud. Shiro offers him a small smile; a reassurance. “There’s no one better.”

Keith takes a shaky breath.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever stop having doubts.”

“I’ll keep telling you.” Shiro’s smile grows impossibly warmer. “As many times as it takes.”

There’s nothing Keith can think to say to that so he murmurs, “okay.”

He feels a little embarrassed by his own emotions when Shiro draws him into a hug.

Keith knows there will be other bad days, when the bad thoughts cloud his mind and become a storm, but for now he lets himself melt into the touch; lets himself accept Shiro’s reassurance.

“I love you,” Keith mumbles. “I’m sorry.”

He feels Shiro shake his head. There’s nothing to be sorry for.

“I love you,” Shiro replies, squeezing Keith tight. “You are the best thing in my life. One day, I know you’ll believe it too, I’m not giving up on you.”

**Author's Note:**

> self-indulgent af lmao
> 
> come yell on twitter [@heyitscmei](https://twitter.com/heyitscmei)


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